Funding Opportunity – NSF 20-557, The worldwide growth of wireless communication, navigation, and telemetry has provided immense societal benefits including mobile broadband data, Internet of Things (IoT), mobile healthcare, and intelligent transportation systems.

These and other applications including 5G and beyond wireless systems call for innovations that can circumvent the challenges of radio spectrum scarcity and interference and foster the growth of ubiquitous, high speed, low latency connectivity. Commercial applications like the above must operate in harmony with scientific uses such as research on radio astronomy, Earth and atmospheric sciences, and must not inhibit weather prediction, polar research, and other nationally vital activities, all of which are dependent upon access to the radio spectrum. The National Science Foundation (NSF) continues to support wireless spectrum research and the scientific uses of the electromagnetic spectrum through multiple programs that enable fast, accurate, dynamic coordination and usage of our limited spectrum resource. These programs have created an opportune ground to build and create a large center-based ecosystem for spectrum research, which is the target of this SII-Center program.

The focus of a spectrum research SII-Center must go beyond 5G, IoT, and other existing or forthcoming systems and technologies and chart out a trajectory to ensure United States leadership in future wireless technologies, systems, and applications in science and engineering through the efficient use and sharing of the radio spectrum. The SII-Center should also seek to foster scientific and technical collaboration and grow the spectrum workforce. The establishment of an SII-Center will have a transformational impact on wireless spectrum research by serving as a connecting point for the biggest and most challenging questions in spectrum management that the nation is facing.

SII-Center Planning Grant Proposals due June 1, 2020 (submission of an SII-Center Planning Grant Proposal is not required to submit an SII-Center Proposal)

SII-Center Proposals, Mandatory Letter of Intent due February 1, 2021.

All documents for proposal submission must be completed and provided to the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs at least two business days prior to the deadline listed above.